Lovely Lust
by HeartsXshadow
Summary: Every day Danny comes home with bruises from Dash…But that doesn't stop him from liking the guy. And Dash? Whatever he's feeling, it's more than lust. AU, no ghosts. Sorry!
1. Hidden Secrets, hidden sorrow

Yes, you guessed it…a new story. And in Danny Phantom! Who would've guessed? Well, enough of my boringness, here we go:

_Lovely Lust_

By HeartsXShadow

Summary: Every day Danny comes home with bruises from Dash…But that doesn't stop him from liking the guy. And Dash? Whatever he's feeling, it's more than lust. AU, no ghosts. Sorry!

Warnings: Violence, Slash/Yaoi(whatever you prefer to call it), language, etc.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Danny Phantom. As with all TV shows, Cartoons, anime, Books, etc, if I did…implied slash wouldn't be implied, if you know what I'm saying.

Pairings: Dash/Danny

On with the story?

**/\\**

Danny watched the sun set from his window, nursing his most recent wounds from Dash. _He's such an ass! _He thought bitterly, wiping a cut with rubbing alcohol. He winced as the liquid made contact with his broken skin and clamped his mouth shut, preventing a howl of pain from escaping his bruised lips. Why he didn't report Dash…well, it was pride. After all, everyday he came home from school in conditions similar to this, his parents in constant worry about him. He could snitch, have his parents file a law suit against him, maybe even the school too-but that damn pride of his prevented him from doing so. It just wasn't right, he was old enough to fight his own battles…or, that's what he told himself.

At sixteen, Danny was scrawny, plain and simple. He wasn't fat, he wasn't muscular, practically just skin and bones. He was quiet and thoughtful, and "had no body hair"(in the words of Paulina, as if that was some kind of insult. Danny didn't find body hair attractive), the perfect target for bullying. And to make matters worse, his best friends were a tech-nerd and a vegan goth. The three of them together…ha! Everyone got enjoyment tormenting them…at least the popular kids did, anyway.

Danny absent mindedly wiped up the dried blood on his arms, watching the sun set. _What did I do to Dash to make him hate me so much? Come to think of it, what horrible serial-rapist-baby-killing-cannibal was I in my past life to make God hate me this much? _He sighed and looked down at his torn shirt. _Can't keep this…another good shirt gone to waste. The jeans can be fixed, Jazz can sew pretty good. _He grimaced at the light purple bruises forming on his chest and stomach. _This will only get worse…I guess that means so swimming for me. _And he had just made plans with Sam and Tucker to go to the pool, too. _Damn it, Dash! Why do you always have to make my life a living hell? _

A knock at the door bought him from his thoughts. "Yes?" He asked, rubbing some ointment on his bruises.

"Dinner is ready, Danny." Jazz called. "Are you okay in there?" His big sister called out, concern evident in her voice.

"Yes, Jazz. I'm fine. Just…could you do me a favor?" Danny answered back.

"You know I will, Danny."

"…Can you sew my pants? They have a few…tears in them." He said softly, lowering his head in shame.

"Did that-" He could hear the anger and worry in her voice, making him feel worse than he already did.

"Thank you, Jazz." _I shouldn't make you lie for me, Jazz. It's not fair. But you have to understand that…there's another reason for me letting him get away with this. Not even you can know…_

"…Will I be bringing your dinner to your room again, Danny?"

"Yes…the usual excuse, please."

"Yes, Danny." Jazz sighed. _Danny…_

Danny pulled out a pair of shorts and a white tee, changed and handed his torn clothes to Jazz. He only opened the door wide enough for his arm to fit through. "Thank you, Jazz."

"I'll be back in five minutes with your food." She whispered through the door.

"Don't. Eat first, then give me my food. I can wait." _I don't have much of an appetite right now. _

She sighed, but agreed. "Alright." With that said she turned around and walked down the hall, pausing to see if Danny wanted to talk. After a few moments of silence she sighed and continued down the stairs to the kitchen, where she would have to lie to her parents about her brothers oh-so-obvious problems,

Meanwhile, Danny returned to his bed and sat down, staring at his hands. The true reason he didn't tell on Dash swam around in his mind, tugging and biting at his brain, forcing him to think about it. _Dash…_The name alone bought tears to his eyes. So many thoughts of _why_ and _how_, thoughts of disgust and disappointment. And fear of rejection. Danny had no idea why he even liked Dash, he was such an awful person! Maybe it was his own shallow self, but he couldn't help it. You couldn't choose who you fell in love with, right?

_That's why you make my life a living hell. _Danny thought, recalling his earlier thoughts. _That's why God made my life so shitty…he just knew I was going to turn out gay. Why did He make me gay if He was only going to punish me? _Danny thought bitterly, letting the tears roll down his pale face. Lord knew he needed a good cry, and he was tired of stopping himself. _Maybe it'll help the depression. _He seriously doubted it, but he couldn't stop. Once he started…it wasn't going to end. That much he knew. _Why do I have to face this alone? Why…why do I like the jock that torments me? Why do I like the guy who I have NO chance with. Why do I have to like a guy in the first place?_

He sniffled as he noticed his phone vibrating, debating on whether he should answer it. A quick look at the caller and he decided against it. _Sorry, Sam. I love you to death…but not in the way you want me to. _It was ironic, really. Here he was, asking for love….and he refused it. _I've been telling you forever that I don't like you in that way. Don't make it worse. _He watched it as it vibrated a few more times before falling silent. _Maybe if I was dead, maybe the pain would go away. Of course, if I wasn't born, I wouldn't be in this situation now either. _He frowned and dismissed the idea of suicide. Sure he thought about it but, at least once, everyone thought about it…right? _Yeah, once…normal people don't think about it every day. _He sneered. But Danny was too afraid to kill himself, couldn't bring himself to. So he didn't. But that certainly didn't stop him from thinking about it.

_With the way my thoughts are going, maybe I should be the goth in our group…or the emo, or whatever they're called. _He thought, smiling sadly. _Maybe I shouldn't even have friends…_A knock at the door bought him once again from his thoughts, and he quickly answered it.

"Thank you, Jazz." Danny whispered, grabbing the plate from his sister.

"Danny, can we please talk about this? Even mom and dad are starting getting skeptical." Jazz said urgently. "Please, just tell us what's wrong?"

"…Later, I'll talk to you later." He replied, closing the door.

"Danny…" She whispered to herself. "You can't handle everything alone."

Dash huffed in irritation, clenching and unclenching his fists. _Why doesn't Fenton ever fight back? _He fumed, punching his wall. _It fucking irritates me…he doesn't do anything! He just takes it like a little bitch!_ What got him more was the fact that Danny didn't snitch. _Doesn't anyone notice those bruises on him? _Dash didn't quite understand the feelings Danny stirred up inside of him. He didn't like them, either. It made him uncomfortable and irritable. Maybe that's why he was always beating the poor kid up. _Well, that's part of the reason. _He thought, rolling his eyes. _It's just because you know you can't have him. _

"If I wanted Fenton, I could have him. He couldn't resist." He said to himself. "He couldn't…wouldn't fight back." _But I want more than the physical aspect of that relationship. I want…_he wouldn't finish that thought, it was too gay. Irony, you have to love it. _And I can't be nice to him, everyone would notice the change and would start to assume shit. Which would be right…_He groaned and slumped into his computer chair. He examined his now bloody knuckles and watched the crimson liquid trickle down his hand. That would be an unpleasant mess to clean up later. But trivial things like that didn't matter right now. How could he get the kid to like him?

Wait-why did he even _want _Fenton? Well…it was because…hell, he didn't even know. Love(or lust) was blind. Or maybe he was just bi-curious. Yeah…every guy went through a phase like that. And once they realized that tits were better than dicks, they got over it and fucked a chick. And Danny was a prefect guy to try it with, because Dash knew he wouldn't speak a word of it. Yeah…that was it.

_Denial. _A voice rang out through his head and he growled. Even if it was true, he would never admit it. He just couldn't…Not even to himself. Dash Baxter was not a faggot. People like Danny Fenton were.

_Danny Fenton. _He hated (loved) the taste that name left on his tongue. _What does Danny taste like? _He asked, before blushing. _Grr, don't think like that! Just…keep beating him up. I'll keep letting out my frustrations that way. Yeah…_When you really thought of it, Dash's excuses for picking on Danny were pretty weak. He wouldn't let anyone else touch him, no one else could insult him unless Dash allowed them too. He was possessive, sure…but that was just part of Dash's personality. That's why Danny only had Foley and Manson as friends…they were such losers that Dash knew he could upstage them in a heart beat.

_Manson. _Now that name left a horrid taste in Dash's mouth for the sole reason that he knew Sam liked Danny the same way he did. And no matter how many times he told himself that he was better than Sam in every way possible, he always remembered that Sam had a few things he didn't. Tits to start with. Truth be told, Dash wasn't even sure of Danny's orientation, and until he was…he'd keep beating on the kid. And if it turned out that Danny was straight? Well, he'd fix that.

Another growl of frustration was heard throughout Dash's room and he got up and punched the wall again. _Fuck it. I'm taking you as mine, Fenton, whether you want me or not. I don't give a fuck about what the school thinks…no, wait, I do. So, we'll be that way in private…_Yes, that was what he going to say to Fenton the next time he saw him. _Too bad it's the fucking weekend. _He thought angrily, clutching onto his window frame to keep him from beating the crap out of his wall. _But I can wait. The weekend is only two days…Two days. I can wait. _

_Fuck…no I can't. _Walking to his computer he quickly logged on and launched the internet. _Hurry up! _He flexed his fingers and quickly logged onto Myspace. Doing a quick person search, it didn't take too long for him to find his target. _Fenton. _He stared at his default picture for a few minutes. Damn, was he getting hard from a simple picture like that? _Fucking Fenton…doesn't that sound 'enticing'. _He thought, remembering the word 'enticing' from a conversation earlier that day.

Clicking on the 'send a message' icon, he typed a quick message:

_Fenton, meet me at the park tomorrow at four, got it?_

Good. Short, simple and to the point. And if Danny knew what was good for him, he'd listen to it. _Send. _He thought with an impish grin._ Tomorrow is before Monday._

**/\\**

And that's the end of chapter one! I hope you enjoyed it. Read and review, please.


	2. Violent Affections

_Okay, it's been a while, so I figure I might as well update. You deserve, really, you guys do. I didn't think this would do so well…thank you for the reviews! Here we go: Chapter 2: Violent Affections._

_Disclaimer: I still don't own Danny Phantom…_

_**/\\**_

_Danny stared at shock at his computer. No way…_ He thought to himself in amazement. _There's no way Dash would…_ Danny smiled as he read the message over and over.

_Meet me at the park at four_

_Does…can it mean that Dash might like me? Just a little? _Dash had never extended an invitation to Danny. Ever. And even though Dash could've asked nicer…well, asked him instead of tell him, Danny still jumped at this opportunity. This wasn't something that he could ignore. What if Dash confessed his love for him? What if Dash felt the same way?

_Don't get your hopes up. _Danny knew all too well what happened when you had high expectations for these kinds of things. It was better to keep them low, so that if you were proved right you wouldn't be too disappointed, and if you were wrong…it was truly bliss. And bliss was exactly what Danny needed…_This is the first time in a long time that I'm excited…_

He looked at his clock and his heart started to pound. _12:36...damn! Why couldn't it be 3:50? _He glared at the inanimate object, willing it to spin its hands faster. Nothing. _Oh well, might as well pick out an outfit or something. I should probably let him know I'm coming._

He quickly typed out a reply, trying not to sound too desperate.

_Dash, I'll be there. _

_-Danny_

He smiled one more time before clicking send. He sighed plopped back onto his bed. He turned onto his stomach and absentmindedly traced circles into his bed sheet. _But what if this is some sort of plan to humiliate me? What if he just wants to hurt me…_

He looked down at the dark purple bruises on his arms. _That's where he grabs me before shoving me against a wall, or a locker, or the ground… _Danny had to try so hard not to get a hard-on when that happened. And it usually worked, but sometimes he had to jam a knee between them so that Dash wouldn't notice. _No, don't think like that…this is it. This is what you want…Dash is practically offering himself to you. Just…whatever happens, I gotta tell him how I feel._

The giddy feeling left him and was quickly replaced with Anxiety. He was happy that it was early in the day. _A nap will settle me…yeah, that's what I need. And when I wake up, it's off to Dash._

Sam made her way up to Danny's room. She and Tucker visited frequently, so they didn't need permission to enter house. They were practically family. She continued up the stairs then proceeded down the hall to his room. Not bothering to knock, she opened the door:

"Danny, I-" She stopped herself when she looked at Danny. _Fast asleep…_She thought, walking over to him and sitting next to him. She pushed aside his bangs and stared at his sleeping face. He was pale, not a sickly pale…but an elegant pale. Like a vampire. He didn't have a rugged beauty, or an effeminate look…but he couldn't be called handsome. _He's so…pretty, _She decided, smiling at his sleeping form, _but his eyes are so dark. Why can't you sleep at night, Danny? What's keeping you up so late…? _She (Jazz and Tucker as well) was constantly worrying about the boys health. It seemed to deteriorate on some days, and others he seemed fine…but a frown was usually plastered on his face. What kind of demons did he have to fight alone? Why didn't her trust anyone enough to let them in? Surely he knew that he couldn't do this all alone…_Just look at him, he's so beat up…not counting what Dash does to him. Maybe he has a girlfriend? _Her eyes narrowed at the thought of Danny having a girlfriend.

No matter what she said, she loved Danny to death. And him having a girlfriend? That wouldn't do. She made sure girls weren't interested in Danny…it was underhanded, it went against every fiber in her body to do so, but what other choice did she have? After crushing on someone for six years, you get desperate. She tried being like the other girls and "prettying" herself up. She tried flirting and other girly things…but nothing worked. She was just "Sam" to Danny. Not a potential girlfriend, not eye-candy. Just "Sam".

Her eyes trailed to his computer. _He's still logged on his myspace…and he just sent a message? _She quietly got up and strolled over to the computer desk and clicked on the message. _Dash? Why would Danny message that ass? _Dash was the Bane of Danny's existence, Sam just knew it. Dash always beat up the other boy, and got some sick pleasure out of it. And Danny didn't do a thing to defend himself. He lied to his parents, the faculty at school, just so Dash wouldn't get in trouble. And why? Sam had no idea. _Why does Dash want Danny to meet him in the park?_

She didn't understand. She read the message again, then read Danny's reply. _Why? Why does Dash want to see Danny? Why would you agree to that, Danny? It's probably some plot to embarrass you! _Sam glared at the computer screen and contemplated the consequences of confronting Danny about the current situation. _It's probably not a good idea to do that…_

_Maybe he has his own plot to get back at Dash…? That must be it. But why wouldn't he tell Tucker or me though? _She immediately dismissed that idea. Danny wasn't capable of plotting and carrying out a plan of his own. It wasn't that Danny was stupid, it was just that he was too kind for something like that. _I'm not above that, though…maybe that's why he doesn't like me…_She shook her head, she couldn't afford to be distracted now.

This was deeper than anything Sam could think of. And if Danny didn't tell her or Tucker about it, then he wasn't going to. _Looks like Sam has some spying to do…sorry Danny, but since you're not gonna tell me…_She took one more look at Danny before leaving his room. _4:00...I'll be there too, Dash. Be ready for serious ass kicking if you mess with Danny._

_Of course you're coming. _Dash thought smugly, reading Danny's message. _There wasn't much of a choice for you to begin with. _Dash had already decided that if Fenton turned him down, he'd show up at his door-hunt him down if necessary. Dash had made a commitment, damn it! And there was no way Danny was going to keep him from following through. And besides, who could resist Dash? He was the most attractive guy in the school, no other could even come close to comparing with his looks (At least, that's what his ego told him). Well, almost no one.

_There's Qwan, too…_And honestly, deep down inside, even though he's never admit it-Qwan was a better guy in almost every physical and mental way. Qwan was better at sports than Dash, even though it was slightly, and Qwan was smarter (By a football field). Hell, Qwan was a better person than Dash! He had looks, too, that made most guys envious. _I mean, do you see that guys build? And he's Asian! Everyone's all over that these days…_

But there was no way Danny could like Qwan, or vice versa…even though Qwan was the only person (besides Tucker and Sam) that was nice (Not hostile, at least) towards Danny. So…in a way, it would make sense that if Danny were gay, he'd go for Qwan (_Foley doesn't have a chance, I don't have to worry about that.)_, right? _No, I'm not gonna let that happen. I know I've been an ass, but he deserves it! _

Dash let out a huff of frustration and restrained himself from punching the wall again. _Calm down, don't angry over something stupid like that. Qwan isn't even that way…you don't need to worry about it. Just calm down…_Try as he might, it didn't work. Images of Qwan and Danny flashed through his mind, and he punched his wall again. _Damn it! That one kind of hurt…_ He looked at the identical fist marks in the wall, blood in both of them. _I've really got to restrain myself…control that temper. _He let out a few more controlled breaths before giving up.

_Okay, screw that. _He glanced at the clock. _It's three already…A quick jog to calm down, I guess…then I'll see Danny. Yeah. I'll jog around the park, that'll take me at least half an hour…it takes about fifteen minutes to get there, and it'll take some time for me to change. Perfect, when I finish cooling off, it'll be time to see Danny. _

_I hope you're ready for the best thing to ever happen in your life, Fenton…_

Hmm, shorter than Chapter 1. Sorry about that, but working in an office is sucking the creativity right out of me…stupid summer job. Well, I didn't wanna give too much away. But, it will get pretty good, trust me. Review, please?


	3. Luminous Feelings

Hey, I'm back! I didn't forget about this…I'm almost done with work! Yes! But, unfortunately, I'm going back to school soon…But I'll update as fast as possible. So, without any further interruptions, here is chapter three of Lovely Lust:

Oh, wait, I lied! Kwan's name is spelled with a K, not a Q (Sorry, I'm used to a Q, that one of my friends name!). Thanks for telling me, everyone **Sarcasm

Hahaha, anyway, here we go:

**/\\**

Chapter Three: Luminous Feelings

**/\\**

At three thirty Danny's Alarm went off, and he quickly showered off and changed clothes. He fixed his hair (Why did he even bother, it always went back to its messy self in a few seconds) and shoved his shoes on, and was out of the house by three forty five. He was in such a state of bliss that he failed to notice the strange stares from Jazz and his parents. Everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing to watch the boy, all to shocked to ask him where he was off to.

"I'm going to the park, I'll be back soon." He said in an airy voice, not noticing the curious expression on Jazz's face, before disappearing behind the door, heading to his 'fated' destination. She stared at the door for a few more moments before sighing and returning to her book.

"Talk about bipolar…" She mumbled to herself, rolling her eyes. _But at least he's happy…And that's all I want._

Danny kept a brisk pace, unaware of Sam trailing behind him. _He's in such a hurry…but why? It's Dash for crying out loud! Why is he so eager? _She huffed in frustration, but quickly covered her mouth. _And he didn't even hear that? Whatever's on his mind must be pretty important…_Her eyes narrowed. _Danny can't possibly…have a relationship with him, right? No. That's ridiculous. _She pursed her lips together as she watched Danny cross the street to the park. _It's ridiculous. _She told herself again, pushing that thought to the back of her mind. _There's just no way that Danny is gay…at least for Dash. But…maybe Dash is gay? And he's forcing Danny to…I don't know, just stop thinking about it! I'll find out soon enough…_

She ran across the street, ignoring the screeching tires and horns (not to mention those few cuss words) to follow Danny in the park. _After all, I don't know where he's planning to meet Dash. That idiot didn't specify any location in the message…maybe they have a secret spot? Nah, if they did it wouldn't be in the park. It's so…public. _She stopped and hid behind a tree, as Danny stopped by a park bench and sat down. _Perfect, I can see and hear everything so perfectly from here. _She smiled as she took out a book, a perfect cover up. _What's suspicious about a girl reading at the park? Now, I play the waiting game. _

She looked down at her watch. _Three fifty eight…Dash should be here soon. But then again, the jock isn't known much for being on time. _She leaned against the tree and raised her book, skimming a few paragraphs. _I wonder what will happen?_

Danny bit his lip, it was eight past Four already. _Then again, we didn't specify on where we were gonna meet…I can't blame him for being late, right? _Another few minutes passed and Danny felt his depression overwhelm him. _I'll give him until Four thirty to get here…after that…_He sighed. _I still won't be able to get over him…_

He rubbed his fingers together, another habit he had when nervous. _I…wonder why he's late? He couldn't be hurt…he's too strong for that. But, he must have a good explanation, right?_

Kwan threw his football up into the air, watching it as it spun gracefully down. _Damn, why does everybody gotta be busy today? Even Dash is busy…I wonder what was so important today? _He groaned as the ball bounced off his finger tips and rolled down hill. He stared at the ball as it tumbled down the hill, tempted to just leave it there. After all, he could just buy a new one…

_Cut it out! That's what spoiled kids think like…_He sighed as he slowly made his way down the hill, hands in his pocket. It was much too hot to be wearing his usual 'jock jacket', so instead he opted for a tight black V-neck shirt and black knee length shorts. _Of course I had to drop the fricking ball from the highest hill, huh? _Indeed, the Asian Kid (As he was often called) had to dig his heels into the hill to keep himself from running (or falling for that matter) down the hill.

He grinned to himself as he made it down the hill without any fall or slip, it was quite an amazing feat (well, for him, maybe. He was quite the klutz off the football field.) He looked at the ground, searching for the object, when he found it: right underneath a park bench. _Hmm, someone's sitting there just my luck…_Kwan wasn't much of a people person, even though he was quite popular. He usually preferred to keep to himself. _Wait, is that Fenton? That's unusual…one, he's out, and two he's alone. _As far as Kwan knew, Danny didn't go out that often, and when he did he was usually with Sam and Tucker.

"Yo! Danny, dude!" Kwan called out, noting how Danny jumped after hearing his name being called. "Hey, can you pass me my ball?"

"Where is it?" Danny looked down by his feet and to the side of him, looking for the ball.

Kwan laughed and replied: "It's under the bench." Danny blushed and quickly bent over to grab the ball before making his way over to the taller teen.

"S-sorry about that…" Danny rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes avoiding making contact. "Here you go." He passed the ball over to Kwan.

"Thanks Danny," He smiled at Danny before adding, "Hey! Since we're both hear, do you wanna play catch with me?"

Sam watched with curiosity as listened to the conversation between Kwan and Danny. _That's strange…and here I thought he was here to meet Dash. _She glanced down at her watch. _It's four twenty…wow, Dash is late. But…why? None of this is making much sense.. _She turned her attention back to the two boys. _This is so frustrating! _

She turned back to her book blushing when she noticed an old couple watching her with raised eyebrows. _Stupid old people…don't they have anything better to do than to spy on-_

She glared at her book and pressed it to her face. _Well, that was hypocritical, Sam. Just ignore them, they'll go away shortly. _Indeed, after a few more minutes the couple left, muttering things about "nosey girls" and how "creepy that was."

_Well, no one was asking them anyway. _She thought sassily, her nose turned up into the air.

Dash's run took a little longer than expected. He loved the feeling of running, and besides, unlike sports like football, he could just spaz out and think. Which was exactly what he was doing right now. _I wonder what will happen if-when he says yes. _Dash thought arrogantly. _Well, we'll keep the relationship secret of course, and fuck a lot until I'm done being bi, and then I'll get with Paulina. Yeah, that sounds like a plan. _He huffed as he began to run up a particularly steep hill.

_But I wonder…will I ever get sick of doing Fenton? _He blushed at the thought. _Of course I will, cause I'm just experimenting. I don't want anything lasting outta this. _He stopped at the top of the hill and took deep breaths, making sure to stand erect. _I don't wanna get a cramp…again. _He took a few more breaths to stabilize his breathing before beginning to walk around the park. He occasionally had to wipe the sweat from his forehead, the salty liquid burned like hell when it entered his eyes.

He walked for a few more minutes before checking his cell phone for the time. _Shit! Four ten…I'm late. Fucking- _He took a deep breath. _Calm down, people have been late before. Fenton won't mind. At least-he'd better not. _His eyes narrowed as he clenched his fist. _Come to think of it, where exactly was I supposed to meet Danny?_ He slapped his forehead. _I'm such an idiot._

Danny looked up at Kwan. "You want to hang out with me?" He asked shyly, though skepticism was laced in his voice. "Me, Danny Fenton?"

"Sure, why not?" He replied, looking at Danny with honest eyes. "You're by yourself, and so am I…so, why not hang out? We could really get to know each other…unless, you're waiting for someone else?"

Danny swallowed back the wave of pain that statement caused him. He didn't want to admit it, but maybe he thought too much of Dash. _He's twenty minutes late…this is what I get for getting my hopes up. See? I should listen to my advice more often. _He looked at Kwan again and smiled. _Well, there's no point in me waiting for a lost cause. I…I can hang out with Kwan. _

"Sure, that sounds fun." Danny agreed, grinning back. "So, we're just gonna play catch?" _Kwan is so nice…how is he popular? I mean, popular kids aren't really that nice…Dash is a perfect example of that._

"Yeah, and then maybe we can get something to eat at the Nasty Burger?" He suggested, tossing the ball to slimmer teen. He caught it with surprised hands and blinked in shock.

_He wants to hang out with me at the nasty burger? Kwan wants to hang out with me? More importantly, I just caught a football? _"Yeah, sounds like a plan."

Kwan beamed at him. "Great!" He answered as Danny tossed the ball back. "Nice throw!" He called, flying it back at Danny. _I'm…actually having a good time with him. Being around Kwan…it's comforting. It's almost as if he cares about me. _His gaze moved from the ball as he thought, arms stretched out without purpose. _I wonder where Dash is…_

Due to his lack of focus, this time Danny didn't catch it, and it instead crashed into his stomach. Danny cringed in pain and doubled over, clutching his stomach. "Aw, shit." He muttered under his breath. "Sorry, Danny!" He yelled running over to him. "I'm so sorry, are you okay?"

Danny, though in pain, was still surprised at Kwan's kindness. "Y-yeah." He wheezed. "The-there's no reason for you to be sorry, it was my f-fault for not catching it." He gasped out. "Haha-ha." He winced as Kwan supported his back with one of his arms. He blushed at the contact. "N-no, really,it's fine!" He turned his face away, not wanting Kwan to notice it. _I don't need a popular kid to figure out my secret…no matter how nice Kwan is, no guy wants another guy to like him…_

"God, I'm really sorry. Shit, I should've-"

"What the hell is going on here?" The two boys turned their heads at the source of the voice, eyes widening in surprise (and a little bit of fear too).

"D-dash?" Danny stammered.

Sam watched the exchange, ready to pounce if Dash (or Kwan) dared to hurt Danny. _Well, Kwan already did hurt Danny…but that was unintentional. I mean, if Dash or Kwan actually try to beat Danny up, I'll then I'll intervene. But…I really should stop it now... _She stayed rooted to the spot though, crouching so she could easily run over. _But…I don't want to make a fool of myself. Dash may not even attack. _She snorted. _Yeah, right. _

_But still, I'm interested to see how this plays out. Why does Dash sound so offended by this situation…? _She examined the situation from every possible angle. _Maybe because it looks like someone else is beating up Danny? He really does hate it when people beat up Danny…Danny is, after all, 'his target' and 'no one else's'. _But that didn't make sense to Sam either. _Well…I'd be mad because it looks like Danny and Kwan are having an intimate moment. _Her eyes widened in realization.

_Oh my God…is Dash gay…for Danny?_

**/\\**

Well, the chapter is longer than the last, that's something, right? Well, I hope you guys enjoyed it, read and review please!


	4. Confrontation and Suspicions

Well, I finished work! Yes! Actually, I finished last Wednesday…don't kill me! I haven't been able to work on anything because I just got back from a mini-vacation…but, enough excuses. I'm gonna update my stories like crazy because I'm going to start school soon…and I'm gonna be really busy, I'm a SENIOR!

On with chapter 4?

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Chapter 4: Confrontation and Suspicions

**/\\**

Dash stared at the two of them. He certainly wasn't expecting this. _Calm down, calm down…there's gotta be a good explanation for this. Cut Fenton some slack…You were late._ Dash told himself. _Still, Kwan shouldn't be all over him like that! _He looked at Danny's frightened expression and then at Kwan's surprised one. He fought the urge to kick both of their asses.

"I'm going to ask one more time…What the HELL is going on here?" Dash asked irritably.

"Dash, it's really not what it looks like-" Danny began.

"Yeah, we were playing catch and I threw it too hard at Danny, and it hit him in the stomach-" Kwan continued.

"And then he came over here to check up on me…" Danny finished, biting his lip. "But I'm okay now," he said, pushing off of Kwan to stand up, "and that's all…"

Dash stared at the two of them skeptically. "…Whatever. I'm going home." He glanced at Danny and saw a pained look in his face, and turned around. _Whatever…I don't want him anyway. _"See you around, Kwan. I'm going to kick your faggot ass when Monday comes around, Fenton."

"Dude, don't be like that." Kwan snapped, getting up. "Danny didn't even do shit to you…why do you always have to be-"

Dash could no longer hold his anger in and his fist collided with Kwan's jaw. Kwan shakily got up to his feet and wiped the blood that trickled down his mouth. "Bitch move, Dash."

"Heh." Dash replied smugly. "Why are you getting so defensive over Fenton? What, do you love him?" He taunted, laughing. His laugh was cut short as Kwan made his way over to him. Getting ready to defend himself, he bent his knees and held his arms up. _Kwan does some sort of Martial arts…and I do boxing. This should be interesting…_

Danny, however, quickly got in between of the two men. "Come on guys, there's no reason to fight." Dash noted that Danny was pushing himself against Kwan. _So, he already cares for Kwan more than he cares for me…_He snarled as he grabbed the back of Danny's neck and threw him to the ground.

"Stay out of it, Fenton." He snapped, facing Danny. "You'll get yours-" POW! _Right in the kisser. _He thought, moving his lips around. He hated that metallic taste blood had…spitting it out and cracking his neck, he faced Kwan. "So, I guess we're even now."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"You guys, please…" Danny was on his feet again, and tugged on Kwan's arm. Please, can we just go?"

_Since when did he have such an attachment to Kwan?_

"Feh, whatever. You two can be fags together, I don't care." With that said, he turned his back on them and began his walk home.

Danny quietly trailed behind Kwan. _This is all my fault…_He looked at Kwan's staggering form and his guilt tripled. He was hesitant to break the silence that engulfed them, but he figured he should…it was his fault, after all.

"Kwan, I'm re-"

"Don't, Danny. You don't have anything to apologize for." He barked. Danny flinched at his words. A few more moments of silence passed.

"…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just…Dash is such an ass…and you take it! Why?"

"…Because he's bigger than me…he would only hurt me more if I snitched. Besides…There's no real reason to. I mean, he doesn't hurt me that badly…" He flinched and gripped his chest.

"Does it still hurt from when I threw the football at you?" Kwan asked apologetically, turning to face him. "I'm really sorry-The ball didn't hit your chest…"

"Y-yeah…it's just…I still have some bruises there from Dash…you know, from a few days ago…" _If anyone bothered to look closely, they'd notice the bruises all over my body…Dash, why do I still like you?_

"Danny, why don't you say anything? Don't you parent's notice?"

"No…not really. It's not that they're bad parents!" He added quickly, seeing Kwan's expression. "It's just that…I hide it from them." Kwan sighed and Danny but his lip, hesitantly taking a few steps toward him and looked up at the taller teen. "You still have some blood on you cheek." He took out some Kleenex from his pocket and reached up and dabbed the blood away. He blushed when he realized how close they were. "Sorry…" He mumbled.

"…Nah, it's okay." He replied softly. "Hey…we can still hit the Nasty Burger…if you're up to it."

"…sure. That sounds…nice." Danny smiled up at Kwan and Kwan grinned back. _I don't care if I was supposed to hang out with Dash today…I'm not going to think about it now…not when…Kwan cares enough to spend time with me. _

Sam leaned against the tree, taking deep calming breaths. _And here I thought I'd have to kick some ass…_Her heart was still pounding as she slid down the trunk. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Closing her eyes and biting her lip, she thought about what just happened, and her 'stunning' conclusion. _So, Dash is jealous…that much is obvious. He thinks Danny and Kwan have something…and I can't really blame him. It was almost like they were flirting…but-! _And this part crushed her- _The reason why Danny was so eager to see Dash…was because he likes Dash. Meaning Danny is gay, or at least bi._

A few seconds passed as she tried to wrap her mind around it, feeling the world crash around her. _Meaning Danny doesn't like me…and never could. _She closed her eyes again and hit the tree. _There's no doubt about it. It makes sense. It all fits so perfectly. Why else would he be so…_She slowly got to her feet and dusted herself off. _Whatever…if he's gay…then at the very least I won't lose to Dash. _She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill down her face and felt a lump form in her throat. _God, I need to talk to Tucker about this…I don't know what to do._

She waited until her breathing evened out before picking her phone up and calling Tucker. "Yeah, it's Sam. Can I come over? We need to discuss something…it's about Danny."

Jazz sat in her room, staring out her window. _Danny's been gone for a long time… I wonder what he was in such a hurry for? He was so down yesterday…_Her eyes narrowed as she remembered how bruised and battered he was. _That stupid Dash…who does he think he is? Why doesn't Danny ever report him? _She rolled her eyes. _Because of his damned pride. And because of his little 'secret'. _Jazz had known for quite some time about Danny's sexuality, but she couldn't let him know. _When he's ready, he'll tell me. There's no reason for me to make him uncomfortable. Still, why'd he have to fall in love with Dash of all people?_

She jumped when her phone rang. She was so deep in her thoughts, she completely forgot about the outside world. "Hello, this is Jazz speaking." She answered politely, all traces of her surprise gone.

"Hey Jazz, it's me…Danny." She heard her little brother reply.

"Oh! Danny, are you okay? I was getting worried! It's getting dark, and we haven't heard from you since you left…how are you feeling?"

"Um, I'm fine. Listen, I'm gonna be hanging out with my friend-"

"Sam?" She interrupted.

"No-"

"Tucker?" She tried again.

"No, Kwan."

Silence. _Kwan…isn't he one of Dash's friends? _"Danny, you're not hanging out with Dash too, are you?" _Don't get your hopes up Danny, at most he's bi-curious. He doesn't deserve you._

"No…just Kwan." She could hear the nervousness in her brothers voice, and knew he was telling the truth. _He's probably blushing right now…_

"Oh, I see. Just the two of you. Like a date?" She teased. _I can still tease him about his sexuality, right? All sisters do…he shouldn't suspect I know. Right?_

"No! It's not a…" He answered defensively (and loudly too). "Date." Danny finished, much softer than before.

"I know, I'm just teasing you! Well, I'll tell mom and dad…just be home at a reasonable hour, okay baby brother?" Jazz cooed.

"Yes, Jazz. Thanks."

Beep. _This call has been disconnected. _She mused to herself. _Kwan, hmm? Well, Danny, this one…I'm not sure I approve, but he's much better than Dash. _

"Mom! Dad!" Jazz called, walking into the living room. "Danny is going to be a little late, he's hanging out with some friends."

Maddie sighed. "I wish he told us that himself…but at least he called someone. And I suppose it's good he's out of his room, he's been locked up in there for such a long time."

"Yeah, it's good for his man-development!" Jack agreed, beaming. Jazz smiled and turned around, retreating to her room.

_Oh Dad, if you only knew how true that statement really was…_

Kwan watched Danny as he put his phone back into his pocket. "You have to call home?"

"Y-yeah." Danny answered, embarrassed. "I mean, they just want to know where I am…I don't need to ask permission to do things…" He bit his lip and shifted his gaze, avoiding Kwan's eyes.

"You don't need to be so…" He paused, searching his brain for the right words. "So guarded around me. It's okay to act like…yourself." He picked up a fry and bit into it. "I mean, it sounds hard to believe because I'm a popular kid and I've bullied you before…but-"

"No, I know. You're a good guy." Danny cut in. "Not too many people would stick up for me like you did…" His smile dropped. "I mean, I'm so weird and-"

"Nah, I think you're cool." Kwan interrupted. "You're not weird…just quiet. And most people aren't used to that." _Why am I so interested in getting Danny happy now…? It didn't bother me when Dash bullied him before…why now? _

"So…just out of curiosity…are we friends now?" Danny asked, snapping Kwan out of his thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh! Yeah, sure. You're cool with me, Danny." Kwan grinned at the other teen. _Friends with Fenton…I don't think anyone will see this one coming. But he doesn't deserve to get beat up by Dash…he's a fucking ass hole. _"Why do you take all the shit Dash does to you?" He blurted out, remembering their previous conversation. "And tell me the truth!"

Surprise was evident on Danny's face, and he didn't answer. _Shit, boundaries…_ "Hey, dude, you don't need to answer that…it's none of my business. It's just that…you don't deserve that kind of crap…you know? I just-"

"I don't know why." Danny answered, smiling sadly. "I just can't bring myself to tell anyone…well, anyone who can do anything about it." He wrapped up his trash and picked up his tray. "Hey, are you done? I'll take the trays…" When Kwan nodded he picked up his tray as well and dumped it. "So…should we head home now?"

"…Sure." _So quick to change the subject…_ Grabbing his keys they made their way over to Kwan's car. The ride wasn't too long, after all, Danny's house was only a few minutes from the Nasty Burger. Kwan slowly came to a stop in front of Danny's house.

"It was fun hanging out with you Fenton." He said quietly. "Let's do it again sometime."

"Yeah…it was. Thank you, it was fun." Danny closed the car door and was about to make his way over to his door when he stopped. "Oh…and thank you. Not just for hanging out with me…for defending me. I really appreciate that." He smiled at Kwan and turned around, entering his house.

_That smile…that one was different than the ones he gives everyone else…this one…was real._

Well, there we go! I hope you all enjoyed that…review, please?


	5. Conflicting Emotions

Sorry for the long wait, but I'm back in school now…it's hard transitioning from summer to school…the first week was really hectic for me, and the weekend was spent sleeping…I needed it. Hahaha…anyway, here's chapter 5:

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Chapter 5: Conflicting Emotions

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Danny sat on his bed, running a hand through his messy black hair. _Why is it that I can't get over him? We didn't even have anything…not even friendship. He makes my life a living hell on a daily basis! He made it clear he doesn't want anything to with me anymore…so, why do I still want him? _He leaned back into his bed and rubbed his tired eyes.

After all of the crap that Dash had put him through…especially after what happened that day, Danny had every right to hate him. Any normal person would have hated Dash…_But then again I'm not normal. _He let out an exasperated sigh. _But in a way, it's normal to still like him. It's not like you can stop loving someone in a single night. But Dash is certainly making it easy._ His mind wandered back to Kwan.

_Well, I suppose a better question would be why Kwan is being so nice to me. It's…strange. But not unpleasant. _A hint of a smile flashed over his face as he remembered spending time with Kwan at the Nasty Burger. _It's just so weird. People can't go from bullying to being your friend that quickly…right? But then again, he didn't really bully me. _He bit his lip as Dash's threat rang through his mind.

_I can't believe he would start a fight with his own friend! And over me…_Guilt overwhelmed Danny the second the thought crossed his mind. _I'm not ruining their friendship…am I?_ And though he would never admit it, Danny was flattered. After all, how often did two hot guys fought over you? _Well, they're not really fighting over me…but still…_

"Goodnight, Danny." Jazz called through his closed door, interrupting his train of thought.

"Hmm? Oh! Night." He answered back.

_Jazz…What was with that smirk she had on her face? _He thought back to earlier that night when he first walked through the door. _It could be because I've been so withdrawn lately…but wouldn't she have asked why I wasn't hanging out with Tucker and Sam? What could-. _His eyes shot open. _Does she know…? No…impossible. I've been so good with hiding this secret…impossible. _A yawn escaped his lips and he turned on his side. _Well, there's no point in pondering this now…it can wait until tomorrow…_

And for the first time in months, Danny fell into a peaceful sleep with a smile on his face.

**/\\**

Tucker stared intently at his computer, fingers interlaced, arms resting on his desk. Sam had just left his house…after telling him some _interesting _news. _Could it really be counted as news? It's more speculation than anything else…but still, it's very probable. _He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn't stomach the thought of his own friend-Danny-

_Dash I can believe. _Tucker thought to himself. _I mean, it would explain why Danny is always his target, and why no one else can touch Danny. That's believable. But Danny?_ It was an absurd thought. There was no way that Danny could be _gay.__Well, that explains a lot of Danny's behavior as well. Why he refuses to report Dash…why he's so uncomfortable in the locker room with all the other guys…and why he's been slowly drifting away from us. He doesn't think he can trust us with that kind of secret. _Tucker couldn't really blame him either. _It's not like I'm homophobic…but it's Danny! It's just not…right. _He frowned at his own answer. _Okay, I am homophobic, just a little…but maybe he's not gay..? _

"Argh!" He groaned. _Now that THAT thought is in my mind…I won't be able to let it go until he proves it wrong. Damn it Sam! Why did you have to tell me? _He rolled his eyes at the thought of Sam. _You don't want to believe it either…you wanted me to prove you wrong…because you like Danny._ He truly did feel sorry for Sam, because even if Danny was straight (which he might be), there was no way he would get together with Sam. _After all, he believes friends should stay friends. So, I guess I'm safe? _

A soft laugh escaped his lips. _Sorry Danny, I didn't mean for that to be offensive to you…_He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. _I can't believe Sam wants us to confront Dash about this on Monday! He's gonna fuck us up! _His eye twitched at the double meaning of his own words. _Ugh, I have to expand my vocabulary. But…I guess it's better than confronting Danny about it? _He leaned back on his computer chair and stared at the ceiling. _No…the only thing Danny would do is lie about it-if it's true-and then change the subject. He wouldn't kick our-well, my ass like Dash will. I wonder-_

BAM!

His chair flipped over and his head slammed onto the floor. Hard. "Ouch…" He groaned, holding his head. _Damn…gotta remember NOT to do that when I have a girlfriend._

"Are you okay, Tucker?" His mother worriedly asked, already kneeling beside him. "Can you see me? How many fingers am I holding up?"

He groaned again. _If I ever get a girlfriend, that is. _

_**/\\**_

Sam lay curled up in her bed, crying silent tears into her pillow. _Damn it, Danny! Damn you! _Even though she knew a man was as capable of choosing his sexuality as he was the color of his skin, it made her feel better-she had someone to blame. It wasn't fair, but nothing in life was. _Obviously, look at the situation I'm in. _It was a unique situation when you thought about it: Girl loves Boy who loves Bully Boy. How many stories went like that?

She snorted at the stupidity of it all. If she was the goth she claimed to be, she should've been over it already. But she wasn't…and she wouldn't for a while. Love took so long to recover from. It wasn't like anyone she knew would understand. Tucker was shallow, Jazz was condescending, and Danny was the person she loved. How awkward would that be to explain? She gripped her bed sheet tighter at the thought of Danny.

Her mind flashed back to the scene earlier that day and she let out an irritated huff. _…He did seem happy. Well, happier than he usually is. Maybe Kwan…_She glared at the thought. _I'm going to have to get used that fact, huh? Danny's gay. _Her eye twitched. _He's gay and he doesn't like you. _Another twitch, and this time it was accompanied with a fist clench and sigh.

_Well…I can't change Danny…and because I'm his friend…and because I love him…I want him to be happy. _She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. _But no way in hell will I allow Dash to beat me in any way, especially when it's Danny's love. _her lips curled into a cruel smirk. _So, the only logical thing to do is sabotage him.._

_And make sure that Kwan wins._

_**/\\**_

**Adult content, though heavily censored**

Kiddies beware!

**/\\**

Dash locked his bathroom door and turned the shower on, hoping the splashing water would be loud enough to cover any noise he might make. It had been such a long time since he degraded himself to, well, touching himself…but he was frustrated, and was so sure he would've had Danny in bed by now-or at least as a boyfriend. _No, not a boyfriend…only gay guys and chicks have boyfriends…_

Shaking his head, he loosened the towel around his waist and watched as it dropped to the floor. He ran his hand over his smooth stomach, enjoying the feeling of hard muscle. He bit his lip when as he gripped his member, stopping himself from moaning. _Shit, I'm acting like a virgin…_

Images of Danny flashed threw his mind, and his anger instantly returned. _Fuck you, Fenton. _He let out a moan as he picked up pace, sweat beginning to form around his brow. He used one hand to lean against the wall, bracing himself. He wouldn't last too much longer. _Sad…usually I can go on for hours…you're really fucking me up, Fenton. _His body shuddered as he reached his climax, a loud groan accompanying it.

Panting, he put his whole weight against the door and closed his eyes. _I've never wanted anyone so badly…it's almost like I need him. _He laughed and shook his head. _Fuck it all…I guess I am a fag._ He slammed his head back against the wall. _Why didn't I just suck up my pride? Why did I have to be so fucking jealous over nothing? You hate me now, huh, Danny? I bet you're with Kwan now…_

He glared up at the ceiling and dug his fingers into the door behind him. _No…no way in fucking hell am I gonna give up that easily. _

_You will be mine, Fenton._

Kwan stared up at his white ceiling, hands rested behind his head. He had just finished showering and was contemplating sleep. It had been a long day, hadn't it? He took out his phone and scrolled down his contact list. _Danny.__I never really disliked him…it was always Dash who hated him. I wonder why? Danny's pretty cool once you get to know him. _He stifled a laugh. _I just spent a day hanging out with Danny. Danny Fenton. One of the three most unpopular kids in school. Won't Paulina be surprised?_

He rolled his eyes. _She's such a superficial girl…I wonder when she's gonna grow up? Then again…these are the very people I hang out with. The better question would be when am I going to grow up? _He looked back to Danny's name. _Well, it wouldn't hurt to text him goodnight, right? Yeah it would, that'd be gay._

**"_You can be gay together."_**

Dash's words rang through his mind and his anger instantly returned. _He's just jealous that someone else was around Danny. I wonder why? What does he have against Danny? I don't remember Danny ever doing anything to him. But of course, Dash really doesn't need a reason to be an ass. Still! There are a lot of people nerdier and geekier than Danny-_

A confused look crossed his face. _Since when was I so concerned with Danny? When did I start caring so much about him…? Maybe I shouldn't hang around Danny so much. He brings out the true me…but is that a bad thing? I mean, why should I care about what others think of me? _He thought for a moment.

"Because being popular gives me a place to belong-I'm not so…isolated if I'm surrounded by people." He whispered quietly, laughing. He shook his head and rolled onto his stomach, reaching for his lamp string. _Sleep…that's what I need. After a good night's rest, I'll be fine. _

_Right?_

_**/\\**_

I apologize for the long wait. I'm been swarmed with work, and I've been trying to work on this. But DAMN! My senior year is already difficult…wish me luck! Or at least less work…after all, less work means quicker updates. Thank you for staying with me!


	6. Monday Misery: Part 1

Well, I'm back! Thank GOD for the weekend, haha. Sorry for the irregular updates, and thank you all so much for the 'good luck' with school. It's getting better (as you can tell by my more frequent updates)

On with the Story!

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Chapter Six: Monday Misery: Part 1

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* * *

Monday came faster than anyone would've liked, and Kwan was no exception. He groggily got up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, slowly making his way to the bathroom. He looked in the mirror and sighed. _I hate bed hair. _He glared at his reflection while turning on the ice cold water. His hand recoiled in shock when the liquid made contact with it and he hissed. _Only on a Monday…_He rolled his eyes and put his hands back under the running water and splashed his face. _Well, that woke me up. _He continued to wash his face, lathered it with shaving cream(beards were unattractive, after all) and thus began his morning rituals. After a quick shower, hair fix and teeth cleansing, he deemed himself ready for the day and went down stairs for a quick breakfast. Just as he finished adding syrup to a thick stack of waffles, his phone vibrated. He sighed as he put his fork down, frowning. He had been looking forward to "Waffle Monday"(The only good think about a Monday).

He flicked open his phone. "Hello?" Kwan asked.

"Hey Kwan…it's Danny." He said a little uncertainly over the phone. "I don't want to trouble you…but could I have a ride to school today? Jazz left for college already, and mom and dad went to work…and I've missed my bus."

Kwan laughed in response. "Dude, it's okay. I don't mind. That's what friends are for, right?" He could picture Danny biting his lip on the other side of the phone, Kwan knew that Danny didn't like "troubling" anyone.

"Well, I just-"

"It's fine. I'll be there in ten minutes, okay?"

"Mm-kay. Thank you, Kwan." He said shyly.

"No problem, Danny." He flipped his phone shut and all but inhaled his breakfast. Giving a quick peck on the cheek to his mom, he was out the door and in his car, making his way to Danny's house. He drummed his fingers along the steering wheel to the beat of the music(Which happened to be _Dance in the Dark_), glaring as he remember Dash's threat. _I wonder if he's gonna start shit today? Doesn't matter I guess, I'll kick his ass if he does. _He smirked. _I wonder how he's gonna react when he sees I've picked up Danny? Come to think of it…why does he care so much? It's almost as if he's…jealous-_There was a complete moment of silence after that thought. His brain just wouldn't form anything. _It actually makes sense…_He let out a laugh at the absurdity of it all. _It's almost like he thinks Danny and I have something going on…_He thought about that for a moment. _Do we? _He tried to shrug off the uncomfortable thoughts. _Well…I guess I have to test my theory now. Let's say I pretend that he and I are dating around Dash…_He grinned wolfishly._ I guess Mondays aren't too bad after all, huh? _Humming along to the song, he turned into Danny's driveway and beckoned him in.

* * *

Sam sat at the 'usual' spot she, Tucker and Danny sat at. She tapped her fingers irritably on the table, watching the buses come and go. "He isn't here." she said flatly, glaring as the last bus left. "Why isn't he here yet?"

"I don't know." Tucker sighed, skipping a song he wasn't particularly fond of. "Maybe he's catching a ride with Kwan?" He tried, and instantly regretted it as Sam sent him a menacing glare.

"Well, how are we supposed to talk to Kwan if Danny's glued to his hip?" She hissed. She pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a calming breath. "Sorry." She quickly amended.

"It's okay. At least he's not riding with Dash?" Tucker tried, pointing to the parking lot. Indeed, Dash emerged alone from his car, looking slightly more pissed off than usual. "I wonder what's wrong with him."

"We don't care. It's _good _to see him mad. He's probably still pissed that Danny's with Kwan." Sam spat. "And so are we." She smiled triumphantly.

"But weren't you just mad about-" Another glare was directed at him, and he quickly shut his mouth.

"Oh! That look of terror reminds me…" She trailed off and picked up her bag, dragging Tucker with her. "We need to talk to Dash about him leaving Danny alone."

Tucker paled at that statement and dug his heels into the ground. "No, S-Sam-no!" He shook his head violently and pulled against her. "No, we're not getting into this more than we already have-" But it was no use, they were already half way to him. "Come on Sam! I thought we were going to talk to Kwan-"

"We are." She answered quickly.

"Well, he's here now!" He sighed in relief when she stopped and looked at the parking lot. The passenger door opened and out came Danny, laughing. Kwan emerged laughing as well. Sam looked between Kwan and Dash, "hmming" in thought.

"Well…we'll have to split up. I'll talk to Kwan, you talk to Dash." She let go of his arm and changed her direction.

"Wait-what? Why don't you talk to Dash?" Tucker called out weakly.

"Because," She replied, "if I do I'll end up ripping his head off." And before Tucker could get another word out, she was gone.

_Damn it all to hell! _He thought miserably, continuing his death march to Dash. _Damn it Sam, do you want me dead? _He slowed his pace. _Well, at least he's alone, and not with his group of friends? _He skipped another song, then decided it was better to just turn the damn thing off. _Music won't help this situation. Not today. _Dash was now in talking distance. _At least I'm not in punching distance? Who am I kidding, he's a fucking football player. It'll take him half a second to cover this distance and clobber me. Oh well, I've lived a good life…I guess. I wish I at least got to third base before I died…_

Figuring talking to himself wasn't going to save his life, he summoned all of his courage and meekly called out: "Dash?"

The Jock stopped mid-step and turned around, glaring at Tucker. "What do you want, Foley?" He spat. "I'm not in the mood for any of your dork shit today."

Tucker gulped and nodded. "Well, um, Sam-" Dash's eyes narrowed and closed the distance between them, pulling Tucker in by the collar of his shirt.

"I. Don't. Care. Got that?" He growled, fist raised. Tucker shielded his face, expecting the fist to make impact with his nose at any moment. But it didn't. He peeked through his fingers and saw Dash staring past him…to the parking lot. _Oh shit. _He thought as Dash shoved him to the ground. He dropped his bag and walked back to the parking lot. _Holy fuck, shit is about to go down. _He quickly got to his feet and scrambled behind Dash.

* * *

Danny smiled up at Kwan as they made their way to the school. "Really, thank you for giving me a ride." Kwan shook his head and kindly smiled back.

"It's no problem. Really." He grinned down at the smaller teen, and bought him into a one arm embrace. Danny blushed, unsure what to do. He gently pushed on Kwan, but the hug didn't end.

"Um…Kwan?" Instead Kwan pulled him closer, and Danny noticed that he wasn't staring at him. At first Danny thought he was looking at Sam, stalking towards them like a tiger. But then he noticed Dash charging towards them…like a bull. He clutched onto Kwan, remembering Dash's threat. _He isn't going to-is he? _Kwan slowly pushed Danny behind him, and Danny didn't protest. He watched with surprise when Dash shoved Sam to the side(She must've been surprised too, judging by her facial expression). Danny hated the way his heart thumped wildly in his chest, and not only because of fear. _Because it's Dash that's coming towards me…_The anxiety was overwhelming. _I hate that I can't get over him! _Dash stopped a few feet away from them, glaring daggers at the pair.

Sam had arrived, as had Tucker. _Good. Witnesses…_Danny thought, still hidden behind Kwan. He notices Sam and Tucker's eyes flickering between the three of them-first at him, then Dash, then Kwan. _I wonder what they think is going on…? _Danny idly thought, before Dash's sneer dragged him out of his thoughts.

"So," He began, glare still intact, "Here you two are again…together."

"Yeah. So we are." Kwan answered. "What, you jealous?" He taunted. Danny's eyes shot up to look at Dash's face. _Is it true? Is he jealous? But of who? Kwan…or me? _Dash's face was clouded in anger. It was so hard to tell if he felt any other emotion. _I wonder…?_ A few people started to gather around. Danny heard whispers from the other students and curious glances directed at him. _Oh God. Please…_He tugged on Kwan's arm.

"Come on, forget it-"

"Shut it, Fenton." Dash snarled. "I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"You'll have to get through me first." Kwan challenged. With a growl, Dash charged and Kwan pushed Danny away. With a grunt he slid into the car door, barely catching himself. He gasped when Dash's fist connected with Kwan's nose, a bit of blood spraying in the air. He heard a few other gasps and "oooh's" from the gathering students, as well as the ceremonious "Fight!" chant. _Don't these people have lives? Damn it, where's a teacher when you need one? _Another "Oooh" caught his attention, and he grimaced when he saw Dash wipe the trail of blood off of his mouth.

"Alright! Break it up!" And for once in Danny's life, he was grateful to see Mr. Lancer. Two security guards pulled the jocks apart, both still bleeding and pissed off. "You five!" He gestured to Danny, Kwan, Dash, Sam and Tucker. "Principals office. NOW." Dash sneered at them, struggling against the man that was currently holding him.

"We'll settle this later-" He began

"No, you won't." Lancer snapped. "Get moving, Baxter." Dash was pushed to the front of the line, and Kwan to the back. Danny trailed behind Kwan, trying to ignore all the whispering. _So much attention…_

"Did you hear?"

"Mmm-hmm. They were fighting."

"About what?"

"Not what-_who_."

"Really now? Was it Paulina?"

"I heard they were fighting over-and get this-Danny!"

"Fenton? Danny Fenton?"

"Yeah!"

"No! They're not-"

"Are you so sure?"

"Couldn't they have been fighting over the Manson girl?"

"It's possible, but from what I heard-"

"Shh!-they're here."

He kept his head down. _Too much attention. I didn't want it to come out this way-at all, actually. _He paled. _They're going to call mom and dad-they'll find out. _His heart picked up pace. _The one thing I've been trying to keep a secret. _He could see the look of disgust and shame on his parents faces. _They'll hate me! God, what do I say? What can I say? Nothing? Should I lie? Why? Damn it all, WHY ME? Why does this have to happen to me? Don't I deserve a break once in a while? _He blinked back the tears. _Well, if there's one thing I'm not going to let them see…it's gonna be my tears. _He counted the lockers as he passed them, the feeling of dread consuming him. Each step bought him closer to his demise-his life. _Why do they all keep staring? _None of the eyes were on Tucker or Sam…not even Kwan or Dash. They were all on him. _Why?_

"Well, get in." Lancer said coldly, opening the door for the group.

* * *

**/\**

I'm gonna stop there for now. Sorry if it's choppy, it's really late. I just wanted to get this up for you guys. Reviews, please? I'll be your best friend!


	7. Monday Misery: Part 2

Sorry for the long wait, school (once again) is draining me…as well as the idiots in my life. Well, no sense in keeping you waiting. Here we go:

Chapter 7: Monday Misery: Part 2

* * *

Sam crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Mr. Lancer._ Interrogate me all you want, I won't answer. _She thought icily. _It's really none of your concern what happened between Danny, Dash, and Kwan. _She realized how hypocritical that was for her to say, but she didn't care. She was in no mood to deal with his stupidity. _Besides, there's going to be inconsistencies with the story…it's better if I just say nothing. _She hated it when they separated the students when questioning them. _It doesn't really help…they're just encouraging lying. _There was no doubt in her mind that all the others were fabricating a story to explain their situation. Didn't they realize that it would just screw them over? _It's like being in a police station…they're waiting for us to slip up. Well, it won't be my fault, at least._

"Manson!" Lancer snapped, forcing her out of her thoughts. "What happened?" She met his glare with an icy stare, raising an eyebrow, challenging his authority(well, that's how he took it, anyway).

"I have the right to remain silent, don't I?" She asked sarcastically, earning an irritated huff from Lancer.

"Fine-FINE! Don't answer me. I'm sure the others will." He sneered.

"I doubt it. You may get them to talk, but they'll probably lie." She replied, inspecting her nails. _He hates it when girls do this while he's talking to them. It's "disrespectful". HA! He's such an idiot._

Indeed there was another indignant huff before he got up and walked out, slamming the door behind him. _Beautiful. _She thought nastily. _But still…I hope Danny's okay. _He had looked so worried when they were 'escorted' to the Principals office. _With all those stupid rumors flying around now…I wouldn't blame him. To have his…secret come out like this-I hope they don't call his parents in. _She thought about it and cursed. _Damn it, all of our parents will be notified about this. Danny can't handle that kind of stress…_She bit her lip, racking her brain for any ideas as to how to get out of this situation. _What's he gonna tell them? That two boys were fighting over him? I somehow think that's not gonna fly…but how is he gonna-_

An idea struck her-it was so absurd, but necessary. Eyes locked on the door(in case anyone came in), she took out her phone.

* * *

Danny looked down and his hands which were placed neatly in his lap. _How did this all happen? What went wrong? _His eyes shifted over to Kwan. His whole body was trembling and he was glaring out the window. There was dirt across his outfit and a few grass(and blood) stains here and there, but nothing serious. Guilt overwhelmed Danny and he forced himself to look away. _And what's even worse is that…I'm trying to justify Dash's reaction. _He let out a soft, bitter laugh, resting his hand on his forehead. _What are mom and dad gonna say-Oh, God! What _are _mom and dad gonna say? _He felt the blood drain from his face and the anxiety start to build up. _No…I'll-I'll lie. They're not gonna find out! Besides…Kwan…and Dash for that matter…they don't like me. _He felt a painful tug in his heart as he thought this. _So…it's not lying. Yeah…_

As the door slammed open, he jumped and stared up at Lancer. "Well…so far no one has said anything. I guess you'll _all _have to be suspended." Danny couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. _What a threat. _"And I'll let you know now that I've notified _all _of your parents about your suspension."

"Why are Danny, Sam and Tucker suspended?" Kwan asked, breaking the silence.

"For being involved with the fight." Mr. Lancer replied. "And yes, I've talked it over with the principal, and she agrees with me."

"But they didn't have anything to do with it." Kwan retorted, glaring at the wanna-be authority figure.

"Because no one will talk, we don't know that." Mr. Lancer sneered, and that shut Kwan up.

_So…my parents know. They'll pry, and I'll tell them…part of the truth. That our friend got into a fight and…_He knew that wasn't going to work. _They'll want to know why we didn't just say why they fought. And if I tell them why…_He bit his lip. _Because we decided to go down as a team. There we go. Perfectly believable. But, it does sound really stupid…argh! Shut up, Danny. We're keeping this excuse. _

He tilted his head upwards to stare at Mr. Lancer, and he did his best to feign nonchalance. _Pretend you don't care. _"That's fine with me." He challenged.

"Hmph. We'll see about that, Fenton." With that said he left the room with a slam. Danny let out a sigh and slumped into his chair.

"Freaking fantastic…" He muttered darkly to himself. He hear Kwan sigh beside him.

"Hey, Danny…I'm sorry…" He mumbled softly.

"…It's fine. It's not your fault. I mean, you were just protecting me." He shifted his eyes over to Kwan hesitantly. _He's staring at me so…intensely…_He bit his lip out of nervousness. _Is he gonna kiss me?_

_

* * *

_

Tucker fidgeted next to Dash. _Of course I get stuck with the psycho. They're not gonna put me with Sam, or Danny…Hell, even Kwan. No, they're gonna stick me with Dash. I knew it was a bad idea! Damn it Sam! Why do I listen to you? _He chanced a glance at the fuming jock and instantly regretted it.

"Got a problem, Foley?" He growled.

Tucker gulped and shook his head violently. "N-no…" He stammered. He quickly looked away. _Best day ever…_He thought sarcastically. There was a few minutes of silence before the jock broke it.

"Does he…hate me?"

"H-huh?" Tucker asked. _This isn't going where I think it's going…is it? _"Who?"

"…Fenton-Danny." He quickly amended. "Danny…do you think he's mad at me? That he hates me?"

Tucker was hesitant to answer. _Oh God…Sam was right. He does like Danny…and Danny probably likes him…but how does Kwan fit into this mess? Ugh…_He looked up and saw Dash staring at him expectantly. _Crap, he wants an answer, doesn't he? _"Um…I'm not too sure…I didn't get to talk to him. You know, we were all separated pretty quickly." He rambled. _That's not a good answer. _"But I don't think he is. I mean, he's never hated you for all the shit you've put him through before."

Dash's eyes widened. "He's never…?"

"No." Tucker replied. _Am I hooking them up? Ew, gross. I'm encouraging it…damn it, you owe me Danny. Shit, Sam's gonna hate me for this…Well, I can't make everyone happy. _"But to be safe, you should apologize to him. I mean, you never have…"

"…So, you know then?" He asked sharply.

"Know what?" Tucker asked weakly.

"Don't play dumb. You know that I…"

"Like Danny?" He whispered, trying not to twitch as he said it. _Eww…_

"…Yeah. So I guess Manson knows too?"

"Yep."

"And Danny doesn't?"

"Yep."

"Hm." Dash was quiet for a minute. "Can you help me?"

"With…?" _Please don't say-_

"Getting with Danny. Can you help me with that?" The look in Dash's eye told Tucker there was only one answer. And if it were any other answer, he'd get a beating.

"Y-yeah. Of course." _Just what am I getting myself into?_

* * *

Jazz sat anxiously in the living room, hand clasped together in her lap. Her eyes darted to the phone every minute, waiting for it to ring. _I can't believe it…Danny is in trouble because two guys are fighting over him? I knew that Dash was no good…_She sighed. _Well, it's a good thing that Sam called. Danny isn't ready to let mom and dad know about his...secret. And I doubt he could come up with a convincing lie. They'd pressure him and he'd crack. And then…who knows what would happen then? _She didn't let herself go there. _Mom and dad would still love him…they'd be shocked-but they wouldn't hate him, right? _

She sighed and pushed those thoughts away. _On the bright side, Kwan was there to help him…but still. Why is he in trouble? Of all the stupid, idiotic-_

RIIIIING! RIIIINNNG! RIIINNG! The phone quickly snapped her out of her thoughts and she scrambled to get to it before either parent could. "I GOT IT!" She yelled, running to the phone. "Hello?" She asked breathlessly. _That was too close._

"Hello Jazz. Are either of your parents home?" Mr. Lancer asked. "It's about Danny…"

"Oh, sorry…No. May I ask why?" She lied easily.

"Well, since you're the only one home, and because you're a responsible young adult," He began. _Flattery will get you no where, Mr. Lancer. _"Danny's been involved with a fight, and we need you to pick him up. He's going to be put on suspension for the next few days. You'll inform your parents when they're finished with work, won't you?"

"Of course! What kind of daughter would I be if I didn't?" She glared at the phone. _Since when were you such a jerk? _She thought when she heard a chuckle.

"Well, you need to pick him up now. Thank you, Jazz." She heard a click and rolled her eyes.

"Sure, whatever." She sighed.

"Sweetie, who was it?" Maddie asked.

"O-oh! It was Danny's school…he's not feeling well, and he needs someone to pick him up."

"Oh, well I guess I'd better go and get him-"

"No! I-I'll do it." She quickly calmed herself down when she noticed her mom giving her a curious look.

"Okay…But I wonder why he went to school if he wasn't feeling well?"

"Well, you know how Danny gets about staying home alone; he doesn't like it. And he didn't know that you and dad had today off…you forgot to tell us." She smiled at her mom.

"Yeah, he does get anxious…and we didn't? I swear we did…"She trailed off. "Oh! I think we've forgotten that someone needs to get Danny. You better get going!"

"Oh, right! Well, bye mom. We'll be back shortly." She gave a small wave and left, feeling slightly disturbed that she could lie to her own parents so easily. She brushed those thoughts off to and focused on the task at hand: Danny.

_Well Danny, you sure know how to pick them, don't you?_

_

* * *

_

Kwan stared at Danny. _He's kinda cute when he's nervous…Not chick cute, but pretty damn close. _He leaned forward towards the smaller teen. "Yeah…I was protecting you, huh?" He noticed that Danny's eyes had widened and he was trying to lean away from him. W_ell, there's only way to find out if I like this kind of stuff or not. _

"Y-yeah…that's what I said." Danny let out a nervous laugh. "But um…Kwan…" Again, Danny was biting his lip. "You're getting kinda…close."

"I am, aren't I?" He smirked as Danny blushed and stopped moving. "Come on, I think we both…want this." He pulled Danny closer to him, and the smaller boy didn't resist. And just as he was about to kiss Danny, the door slammed open.

* * *

Yeah, sorry, I'm gonna have a cliffy. I know I took forever updating, please forgive me! Review, please? I know I don't deserve it…Oh! And I'm starting a new Danny Phantom story, check it out.


	8. Intervention

Okay, I'm updating! Even though homework is killing me…I'm managing (I'm waiting for my sister to come home to help with my Calc. homework. Eww!)

Anyway, on with the story!

* * *

Chapter 8: Intervention

* * *

Kwan immediately released Danny and both boys jumped back. Both hearts were beating madly, a wild and scared look in each ones eyes. _We were just about to kiss-_ Danny quickly shook his head and looked up at the door. _Oh God, and Jazz has to be the one who walks in…_She had a confused look on her face for a split second, but she shook it off and put on her stern face.

"Danny, I can't believe you!" She placed both hands on her delicate hips, and Mr. Lancer smiled behind her. Danny was about to explain that she was totally wrong, but a wink from her told him he already knew. "And when mom and dad find out…you'll be in big trouble." Jazz was a mediocre actor at best, but Lancer was eating it up.

"Yes, you will! And I'm sure Jazz will see to it." He sneered. "Now, Mr. Kwan…I've already informed your parents about your suspension. You can drive home, as that's how you got here." He gave a dismissive wave, and then was quickly out, muttering under his breath.

Danny gave a hesitant look at Kwan. "So…I guess I'll see you later." He mumbled, a light blush over his face. _I was about to kiss him!_

"Y-yeah. See you around, Danny." He gathered up his bag from the floor and gave an awkward wave to the siblings before leaving. Danny hesitantly looked up and inwardly groaned when he saw his sisters expression. _She knows what we were gonna do, doesn't she? _She smiled smugly down at him.

"Well, little brother…I think you better fill me in about all of this." She gestured vaguely with her hands. "And don't worry, I didn't tell mom about the suspension…and I'm not going to. You're just going to have to feign sickness, okay?" She waited for him to process this information. "That's right. Jazz, the perfect child, has lied, and will continue to lie, for her little brother." She smiled warmly at him. "Still, I want confirmation that I'm lying for a good cause."

Danny nodded, biting his lip. "You know more than you're letting on, don't you?"

"Just a little."

* * *

Kwan ran a hand through his hair, the other on the wheel. _Holy. Fucking. Shit. I just-almost kissed Danny! Danny fucking Fenton! Another dude! NO WAY! NO! _He took a few calming breaths and reduced his speed. _I shouldn't be driving when I'm thinking shit like this. No…what was that about? I…I don't like Danny that way. Right? I'm straight…Dash-Dash is the one who likes Danny, not me. _He shook his head and tried not to close his eyes. _I just need to think-that's all. Some time alone. And when I get home, I'll have plenty of time to think. Aw, shit. Scratch that. _He had just turned into his drive way, and now he was face to face with the ultimate terror: his mom. He sighed heavily before slowly dragging his key out of the ignition, and grudgingly opened his door. _Well, life's been good to me this far…and damn it all! It's waffle Monday! It shouldn't be a shitty day! _He straightened his shoulders as he approached his mother, waiting for the inevitable.

"Kwan. It's your senior year. Why on EARTH would you even CONSIDERING fighting?" She asked icily.

_Looking at her, she seems more disappointed than mad…_ He thought, shifting his weight to his right foot. "Well, I did it for a friend-"

"Dash? Dash wanted you to beat up a kid, and you did?" She asked incredulously.

"No! I was protecting my friend FROM dash!" He yelled back. There was a few seconds of silence before his mom resumed.

"Well, that doesn't mean you should-"

"And what? Just let him beat the shit out of me and my friend? I don't think so."

"Don't you use that language!"

"What was I supposed to do? What else COULD I do?" He threw both hands in the air. "What the FUCK was I supposed to do, huh mom?"

She took a deep breath. "We'll discuss this later." She pointed to the house. "Get inside, now. No phone, no internet, no car privileges until we get this sorted out." She sighed, and so did he.

"Yes, mom." He rolled his eyes before heading up the stairs. _It's Waffle Monday…it shouldn't be a shitty day._

_

* * *

_

Tucker lay head down on his bed, his face buried in his pillow. _What. The. Fuck. _The current situation he was in wasn't so bad. His parents believed him (and he did tell the truth) and understood that he shouldn't have been in trouble. He had even managed to discourage them from trying to sort this mess out at the school. He was off the hook: he could do whatever he wanted, _and _he didn't have to go to school for the next three days. How sweet was that? _On the other hand, _He thought miserably, _I have to help Dash hook up with Danny. Dash, the bully…with my best friend. What the FUCK? _He groaned and pulled either side of his pillow, as if that would make all of his problems dissipate. _And I have to tell Sam! She's gonna murder me! But so is Dash-Argh! I'm screwed either way, and not in the good way. _He let out a chuckle after that statement. He didn't come up with jokes that good often. _Man…my life sucks._

He rolled over and stared blankly at his ceiling. _Well, I better get the worst part over with. _He retrieved his phone from out of his bag and scrolled down to Sam's number. _Though, I wonder if this really is the worst part of this stupid mess…_

He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he got to Sam's voicemail. _"Hey, you've reached Sam…unless you're Danny or Tucker, don't bother leaving a message. I won't get back to you."_ Beep.

"Um, hey Sam. This is Tucker…we really need to talk. Um, give me a call…ASAP. Thanks. Bye."

He ended the call and sighed. _Dead Before College…that's what the movie based off of my life will be called. _

_Well, this sucks. _Like Tucker, he was currently in his room, staring out his window. And like Kwan, he had just finished having a nasty fight with his mom. _This really sucks. Grounded until my suspension is over…no electronics. No friends. No Danny…shit. How am I supposed to apologize if I'm not allowed to see him?_ He glared as he watched underclassmen pass his window. He glanced over to his clock and saw that school was indeed over. _I wonder what those little shit heads heard…_He pinched the bridge of his nose. There was no doubt that many rumors were circulating about the incident. They were right, sure. But that didn't mean he wanted to admit it. _Shitty. Paulina is probably spreading shit about this too…fucking bitch. _When he got back to school, Dash certainly would have a lot to deal with. Even if people wouldn't say things out right, there would always be whispering…and it would take a lot of bullying and ass kicking to shut the whole school up. _I wonder if I could even do that…_

He heard the irritating high pitched laugh from one of the girls outside and cringed. _But…why should I care about what people like _that _think? I mean…I look way better than that chick, and so does Danny. Yeah…and I'm the strongest guy in school. No one's gonna give me shit…and if they do, they won't live to regret it, that's for sure._ He grinned at the thought. _Yeah…why did I even worry? Why didn't I just make my damn move when I had the chance? How did my plan get so…fucked?_

_Because you're an ass. _The little voice in the back of his mind reminded him.

_Oh, right. Maybe…maybe if I had let Danny explain why he was with Kwan in the park…we could've fixed things right there. Maybe…we would be dating right now…if I didn't have such a fucking ego. SHIT! _He took a deep breath. _No, I can't keep thinking shit like this. That's in the past. The past is over. But…there's still the future. I can work with that. _

He looked back at his clock. _Three forty…in a few hours dad will be home. I'll get a lecture, sit at dinner which will have an awkward silence, and then be sent off to bed. They'll stay awake for a few hours…and when they go to sleep, then I'll visit Danny. _He grinned wolfishly. _That's right. You can't shake me off that easily, Fenton._

_

* * *

_

Sam slammed her door shut, fuming. _How-How dare they! _

"Samantha! Get out here right now, we're not done talking!" Her mom shouted through the closed door. "You have five seconds to get here or you're grounded young lady!"

"Whatever! FINE! Ground me, I don't care! God, I wasn't even the one fighting!" She snarled back, opening the door for those few seconds. There was a frustrated sigh from down the stairs, and she heard her dad's mumbles. _Probably trying to calm her down. _She thought venomously. _And she wonders why I hate her so much! She's so-_She let out her own frustrated sigh before sitting down on her bed. _She just doesn't understand anything about me…_

"Sam?" There was a soft knock on her door, and she groaned.

"…Come in, mom." She said blandly. The door slowly opened, and her mom hesitantly walked in.

"…We both didn't handle that properly." She began. "And…as your mother, let me be the first to apologize." She paused, waiting for Sam's apology. When none came, she resumed. "And you're right. You didn't start that fight. And I'm sure you tried to stop it, too. But…why didn't you just tell the principal what had happened?"

Sam sighed. _I really don't know. I could've easily told Lancer what had happened, and only Dash and Kwan would've been suspended. But then I'd have to tell them why they were fighting which would- _"So Tucker and Danny wouldn't be the only ones in trouble." She lied, cutting off her earlier thoughts.

"But they didn't have anything to do with the fight, right?" Her mom asked suspiciously. "Why would-"

"Because they didn't say anything either!" Sam snapped. "I didn't know if they were gonna lie, and if they did, there'd be two stories-or more! And then we'd be in more trouble-"

"But you'd be telling the truth-"

"You obviously don't understand loyalty, do you?" Sam spat. "We stand by each other, and we fall with each other." Her mother was losing patience, that much was obvious. _Just a few more minutes, and then she'll leave._

"Alright. Fine." Her mother stood up and walked out of the room. "I'm going to have a chat with your principal…and your friend's parents." Sam paled at the statement. "This needs to be sorted out." She closed the door behind her, her heels clicking down the hall.

Sam quickly pulled out her phone, ignoring the missed call and new voicemail icon. She quickly dialed Danny's cell phone number.

"_Hey, this is Danny. Sorry I couldn't get your call…I'm either sleeping, at school or doing other people-stuff. So, leave your message, and I'll try to get back to you." _BEEP.

"Ugh, Danny! Of all the times to be doing other people stuff, why now? Anyway, my mom is going to go down to the school and 'sort things out'…and your parents will probably be notified. So, please be at home where you can answer the phone and intercept the call!" She flipped her phone shut and bit her lip. _What if he doesn't get it in time?_

Pulling out her phone again, she dialed Tucker's number. _Please…please don't be grounded!_

_

* * *

_

Another chapter has come to an end. Things are starting to tie up (well, in my mind, anyway.) But don't worry, this will probably go on for at least four more chapters…oh! And Kwan/Danny lovers, check out my new story: _Date From Hell_. It'll be a little scary…but romance will play a prominent theme. Review, please?


	9. The Light in the Darkness

I hope you guys still stick with me! I know I take forever…but in a month I'll be on Winter Vacation, and then I'll(try to) update WAY faster. So, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 9: The Light in the Darkness

* * *

Tucker's eye twitched. His day had officially gone from shitty to shittier. _How the fuck did it get this bad? _He groaned, slapping his forehead. He leaned back into his bed and pinched the bridge of his nose, recalling what Sam had told him. _So, now I have to go and warn Danny that her psycho mom wants to hold a damn meeting? Argh! And he has to find a way to go without his parents knowing…Damn it Sam! I already have to help Dash-_A thought crossed his mind. It was pretty stupid, but it just might kill two birds with one stone. If this went as planned, it could give Dash a 'heroic' light(well, at least Danny wouldn't hate him), make sure Danny stayed out of trouble, and most importantly keep himself out of trouble. _It's perfect. It…well, doesn't solve all my problems, but it certainly aids them…_He grinned slyly before picking up his phone, hesitantly dialing the bully's number.

"Dash? I think I know how you can…well, make amends with Danny."

* * *

Danny sat with Jazz in his room, absentmindedly stirring his tea (after all, he was 'sick'). "And so…I don't know, from the park incident we became close friends. And the more time we spent together, the more I started to…like him." He blushed, still slightly uncomfortable being 'out'. _Still, it's a relief to tell somebody…_ "He was really just trying to defend me from Dash, and…well, you know what happened from there." He finished, leaving out the part where Kwan had almost kissed him.

"And you felt you couldn't tell Lancer the reason of the fight." Jazz added quietly, sighing. "I guess it's reasonable because all of your reputations were on the line…" She pursed her lips. "Still-" She stopped when she caught sight of his face. "Never mind."

"Sorry, Jazz. But I couldn't have mom and dad finding out." He mumbled apologetically. "And I'm sorry that you have to lie for me…" Jazz slowly pulled him into an embrace.

"Oh, Danny. You know that family always stick together. Mom and dad will still love you. It…may take a while for them to recover from shock, but they will. And don't worry about the lying. You know I like to be rebellious every now and then." She pulled away and winked at him. "Oh! You're supposed to be sick…I guess I should be on my way. Get some rest, Danny. You need it." With that she got up and gently closed the door.

_You don't know how much we worry about you, do you Danny? _She sighed, making her way down the stairs. _I just wish you trusted mom and dad…you're their only son. They're not going to abandon you just because of the gender you love…_She paused, considering her father's reaction. _Well, he might be a little upset at first, but I'm sure he'd get over it…_She shook her head. _I guess Danny's feelings are perfectly justified. Still! _She stopped in the kitchen and pulled up a chair across from her mother, lacing her fingers in her lap.

"So, how's Danny doing?" She asked worriedly. "Does he need to go to the doctor? Does he need anything to eat-"

"Mom, he's fine." Jazz smiled, her fears melting away. _She cares too much about him to let him go over something like that. _"He only needs rest, I'm sure he'll be up in a few days." _Well, whenever his suspension ends, I suppose. _

Maddie visibly relaxed, though she still looked a bit uncertain. "Well, alright…in a few hours I'll check up on him though." She smiled and quietly excused herself and Jazz waited until she couldn't hear her mother's footsteps anymore before letting out a breath of relief.

_I really can't believe how good I've become at lying…it's a little alarming._

_

* * *

_

Dash couldn't believe his luck. _Who knew Manson would be useful? _He mused. _Well, I guess it's not really her…but rather, her mom. _He grinned. _But now the question is how the hell I'm gonna get outta my room to warn Danny?_ His eyes narrowed, his brain whirling, trying to think of any way to get out. _After all, I'm grounded…and if I'm caught…I'll be in more trouble. Argh! Damn it all, I don't have much of a choice. _Quickly, the jock opened his window and hastily jumped out, landing on all fours. _That was a little higher than I anticipated. _He groaned, shaking his wrists. _At least nothing's broken or sprained. _He started a slow jog After all, he wanted to get to Danny's house as quickly as possible, but at the same time he didn't know what he was going to say. _I mean, I screwed up pretty badly. Okay, I totally fucked everything over. But…I don't know, if he likes me he should forgive me, right? _He blushed at the last thought, and immediately regretted thinking it. _Shit, I still don't even know what I am…maybe I should just let Kwan-_At the thought of his friend's-_Ex-friend_-name. his anger quickly returned. _No, fuck that. I'm not gonna give up Danny. Not after all this shit. _He hadn't noticed that he had picked up speed to a full sprint. He was at Danny's house, though out of breath and sweaty.

_Eww…I must look like shit. Ah, well. He'll just have to deal with it. _He was about to knock on the door when a thought crossed his mind. _His parents and sister probably don't wanna see me right now…maybe I should try to climb up to his room? _He vaguely recalled Tucker giving instructions to get up to the second floor, and exactly where Danny's room was located. _I guess he thought ahead. Good. Someone had to…_He slowly made his away around the large building until he found the drain pipe. _His room should be that window, if Foley gave me the right instructions…if not, I'm gonna have to kick some nerd ass. _He carefully started to climb, waiting for the thing to give out. When it didn't, he continued up. When he got to his desired destination, he hesitantly looked in, and was glad to see that it was indeed Danny's room.

Said boy was sleeping uneasily, a small grimace marring his features. It was then that Dash noticed the dark purple rings under his eyes, how frail Danny truly was. _It looks like this is the first time he's getting sleep in weeks…did I cause all of this? _He felt guilt overwhelm him. _Come one, Dash. You've gotten this far. _He tapped on the window, lightly at first, but when the sleeping boy didn't respond slapped it, causing Danny to wake up. His eyes darted around the room, shifting first to his bedroom door, then to the actual source of the noise: the window. His eyes widened in recognition, and he hastily made his way over to the window. He stopped and hesitated, his hand withdrawing from the latch, however, he seemed to change his mind and opened it.

"Dash? What are… you doing here?"

* * *

Danny didn't know what he was dreaming about. It was swirling too fast for him to perceive what was happening. The only constant was Dash…but he was never…_whole._ In the swirl he would see flashes of the jock's eyes, his smile, his body. But just as he caught it was gone, only to be replaced by some other part of him. He didn't have a dizzying sensation, and he felt that it was somehow linked to Dash's presence. _Dash is the only constant in my life…_A sudden rapping caught his attention, but he paid it no attention. It wasn't until the rapping became louder did he realize he was dreaming.

His eyes shot open and he quickly pushed himself up, looking around for the source of the sound. He looked at the door; it was the most logical place. However, the knocking continued, and he concluded it wasn't coming from the door. Rather…it was coming from behind him. _The window. What's so important that Tucker-_he gasped when he saw it was Dash. _D-Dash? _He quickly got up and made his way to the window, only to hesitate. _Do I really want to let him in? _His hand paused at the latch. _Do I…? _He sighed, knowing the answer. _I do. _He unlatched the window and pushed it up, letting the taller teen in.

"Dash? What are you…doing here?" He asked uncertainly, biting his lip and looking down. _Did you really want to see me…?_

"Listen, Danny." He said softly. "I'm really sorry about…everything." He apologized softly. "I mean, I really screwed things up. And-"

"Yeah, you did." Danny replied icily.

"Yeah, that's why I'm saying sorry." He growled out.

"Do you expect me to just forgive you and move on?" Danny asked. _Where's all of this anger coming from? _

"That's-"

"What I'm supposed to so? Just…take all the shit you've put me through?" Danny laughed. _And it looks like I've finally grown a spine…_ "Well, it doesn't work that way, Dash. If you came here looking for a way to get rid of your guilt, then forget it."

Dash looked livid. Danny felt fear run through him, but it was too late. He wasn't about to lay down and take that from Dash. _I'm sick of it. _

"I'm sick of it." He repeated out loud. "I'm sick of feeling this way about you." He looked down, feeling the tears build up. "I hate that I can't hate you…even after all of this." His shoulders shook as he cried, and he felt Dash coming closer. "Don't-just don't Dash." He backed away. "Please, just go."

Dash let out an angry sigh before making his way over to Danny and roughly pulled him into a hug. "Shut it, Fenton." He growled, smashing his body against Danny's. "I know, alright? I've been a fucking ass…and I know I don't deserve a chance. But please-"

A knock at the door cut Dash off. "Danny? Is everything okay in there?" Maddie asked. "Is someone in there with you?"

"Yes mom, everything's fine. And no, no one's in here." He hastily shoved Dash towards the window, wiping his tears away. "We'll talk later…I promise."

"Shit! Danny! I forgot to tell you…Sam's mom is gonna try and hold a meeting-make sure your parents don't answer the phone-" With that Danny pushed him out, watching him as he slid down the pipe. He sighed and made his way back to the door.

"See mom? No one's here…" He coughed, remembering he was supposed to be sick. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna go back to sleep." He yawned for effect, and Maddie ate it up.

"Alright, dear. Just remember, if you need anything, just ask." She kissed his forehead, and tucked him back into bed. "Get some rest, honey." She walked out of the room and gently closed the door behind her. Danny turned, his body now facing the window.

_Sam's mom is gonna try to call__…I wonder how Dash knows? Is he lying? Well, I guess I can't take that chance. _He pulled out his phone and texted Jazz.

_Jazz, answer the phone at all times. DON'T let mom or dad answer. Sam's mom is trying…something, I don't know what. Please and thank you._

_Love,_

_Danny_

He frowned at the message. _She does so much for me…I wonder when she'll get fed up and stop? _He shook his head and quickly sent the message. _She's stuck with me this far…I don't think she'll be leaving me anytime soon. Right? _He sighed and closed his eyes. _Just stop, STOP it. Everything doesn't have to always be negative. _

He allowed a ghost of a smile to cross his lips. _After all…Dash visited me today…he hugged me. _

_

* * *

_

Sorry for the long wait! The story is really coming to an end! Only two more chapters, I think…review, please?


	10. Mitigation For Some

Okay guys, second to last chapter! I'm so sorry it took this long…but please, enjoy!

But wait! So…I have a question for you readers! I'm writing a retelling of The Little Mermaid! I was wondering what category/characters should be in it? (Please, visit my profile to see all the categories/characters I like! I can't decide) The first five who vote/help me will get a request fic done by me! So…VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

* * *

Chapter 10: Mitigation For Some

* * *

Jazz glared at the road in front of her. She cast a quick glance over to Danny and frowned. _There must be a thousand different things going on in his mind. _His face transformed every few seconds from an appreciative smile to absolute fear. _It's weird…._She sighed. _Thinking about it now won't help anyone…I can't believe that Sam's mom is really calling this to the principal's attention…it's only for Sam's benefit, I know it! Christ, that woman is impossible…_She was glad, however, that she had answered the phone before her parents could. _That would be a nasty confrontation…_Once again she had to lie to get Danny and herself out of the house to the school where the meeting would be held. _What would mom and dad do if they found out we lied to them? _She looked over to Danny again. _I guess it doesn't matter…it's for him. _Her heart started to beat faster as she got closer to the school. _I still really hate the idea of this…so many things could go wrong! Oh Mrs. Manson, why did you have to be so difficult? You too Sam! _She rolled her eyes and slowly came to a stop at the school parking lot. _Well, knowing Sam this isn't so much of a surprise…and she has to get her attitude from someone. So, I guess it makes sense. _She parked the car and turned it off, barely concealing her anxiety.

"Ready Danny?" She asked quietly.

"As I'll ever be…" He trailed off.

"So, are you going to tell the truth, or just go along with whatever lie they come up with?"

He shrugged in response. "I'll let the 'adults' talk it out. You know, let them draw their own conclusions. But I know there will be a bunch of different ideas, from both you guys and us…The truth is bound to come out, right?"

She smiled at her younger brother. He could be so smart sometimes. "Hmm, I guess so. But if the truth doesn't come out?"

"Well, then it all works out better for me."

* * *

Tucker sat in front of the principal's office. Foley's were always early, and with something like this…well, they were _extra_-early. His parents sat on either side of him, politely chatting with Sam's parents. Neither he or Sam dared to pull out their phones and text each other, nor did they speak. _The Code of Honor. _He thought to himself. _None of us speaks so none of us gets into anymore trouble…_He did send a pitying glance to Sam. _If anyone needs comfort, it's her. Finding out one of your best friends is-er…that way, and in love with your worst enemy…And yet she still fights for him. _He was drawn out of his thoughts as the door opened and Dash walked in, followed by his own parents and Kwan's family. Everyone stopped talking. _Well, the tension in here is so thick you can cut it with a knife. _He smirked. _Oh, how I love cliché's …_

Sam caught his look and gave him a questioning stare, but he quickly shook his head. _I wonder when Danny's gonna get here? _His question was soon answered when Jazz and Danny entered. He was avoiding everyone's gaze. _Well, at least he remembers the Code of Honor…_He took a seat across from Dash-next to Kwan. _Ah, shit! Dash is going to kill me…But it's strange. He's not showing anything-not happiness, and he doesn't look sad either. Just…indifference? We've been best friends for how long, and I still can't read him? _

_Danny, you're an enigma._

_

* * *

_

Dash noted Danny's distant attitude. _He's not even sitting by his friends…why Kwan? Is he trying to make me jealous? _He crossed that thought out of his mind. _No…he's not even acknowledging Kwan…what's he thinking? _He cast a quick glance around the room. _Well, we're all here…what's Lancer waiting for? _The meeting had been scheduled for six exactly…it was six ten. _And he gets to bitch when we're late. How fair. _He rolled his eyes. _Still, I guess this gives me time to think of a possible excuse. _He surveyed the room again. _Strange…none of the 'kids' are talking…So, we're all keeping quiet about this? _When he looked around again, he saw Tucker's parents looking at him. _Again? Is it because Foley tells them that I bully him? Or did he tell his parents what really happened today? Judging by their slightly weirded out stares, I'm guessing it's the latter. Fucking Foley! If they say anything to Lancer, it'll be the end of Danny…and me. That fucking sucks! _

His phone vibrated in his pocket, pulling him out of his thoughts. _Kwan? _The thought incredulously. _What does he want? _He slid his phone open and read the text:

_Dude, lets just take the blame already. We can just say that we were fighting over Paulina, and Danny guys tried to break up the fight. That way they can stay out of trouble, and we don't have to…say the exact nature of our fight._

Dash thought it over. _I guess that'll work…_He thought. He replied to Kwan's message with his exact thoughts. _But what about Foley's parents? What if they know what really happened, and why it happened? Will they still care? I mean…Tucker will be out of trouble. That should be good enough, right? _He mentally shrugged. _I guess whatever happens…happens. _

_

* * *

_

On the outside, Danny looked indifferent: calm, cool, collected. It looked as if he could care less about this entire situation…but that just wasn't true. No, he was feeling quite the opposite. _I have to maintain this uncaring look. No matter what anyone says, I can't get involved. I'm not to say a word unless Sam and Tucker say something…and what's up with Lancer? Doesn't he know it's rude to keep people waiting? _He shifted positions in his seat, doing his best to ignore Kwan's presence. _I don't want to look at him. I don't know what to feel for him right now…What do I even feel towards Dash? _He rolled his eyes. _Yeah, right. I know what I feel for him…and I regret it. I hate it. And yet…what can I do about it? Who do I go with?_

His inner struggles were cut short as Mr. Lancer opened the door. He smiled at each and every person in the room, causing Danny's blood to boil. _Jerk. _

"Well, I'm glad that you were all able to make it here tonight. Now, there was an incident this morning…one involving the five of you. Because none of you wanted to talk, you were all suspended…however, some of your parents have complaints about this…so, we're giving you the opportunity now to tell the truth, or accept the suspension." He smiled nastily.

"We already accepted the suspension." Sam growled. Her mother gave her a stern look before Sam could continue her statement.

"Well, your parents have not." She said coldly. "Now, could you two gentlemen please explain to me what happened?" She directed this statement to Kwan and Dash.

_I wonder what they'll say? _Danny asked himself. _It will be a lie…won't it? _There was absolute silence as everyone waited for their response, their parents included.

"Well boys?" Dash's mom asked.

"It's really idiotic." Kwan began. "And I regret getting everyone involved in this…"

* * *

Kwan was horrible at public speaking, even in front of a small group of people like this. _Calm down and continue the story. Dash will back you up. I think. _He sighed. _Well, I started already…might as well finish up. _

"So, as you guys know…prom's coming up. And, well, we both really wanted to ask Paulina to go with us. But then we got mad at each other 'cause, you know…we both wanted to take her…and we fought." Kwan started awkwardly.

"Then things started to get violent." Dash cut in. "And we started to fight. Danny and his friends saw us fighting and tried to break it up, but we didn't…and then Lancer caught us. You know the rest." He finished.

Kwan waited patiently for the questions. _They're not gonna buy it…and if they do, they'll still have a shit load of questions to ask._

"And here I was under the impression that Samantha hated you two." Mrs. Manson drawled. "Why would she defend you? Mr. Foley and Mr. Fenton I can understand…but if you ask me, she would jump at the opportunity to get you in trouble…especially if it involved her own 'safety'." She look at Sam. "Or am I wrong?"

"Yeah, you are. As usual." Sam spat.

"Oh, really?" Her mom retorted. "Mr. Lancer, -"

"Lady, will you just shut up?"

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Mason asked. "I will not be spoken to like that!"

Dash rolled his eyes. "Your precious daughter had nothing to do with this stupid fight. We told you what happened. What more do you want for fucks sake?"

"Dash!" His mother scolded. "I raised you better than that. Apologize to Mrs. Mason this instant."

"Why should he?" Sam asked. "He had every right to." Her mother glared at her.

"Samantha!"

"Enough." Mr. Lancer yelled. "Calm down. Now, what was so hard about that? You three-" He pointed at Danny, Tucker and Sam. "-You're off the hook."

Sam's mother clenched her fists. "That's good to know. We'll be on our way then." She said with a forced smile. "Lets go, Samantha." Sam rolled her eyes but complied anyway.

"Whatever."

"You two, however, are still suspended." Lancer continued. Kwan's and Dash's parents nodded.

"We understand." Kwan's mother replied, getting up to leave. "We'll be on our way."

Kwan trudged along with his parents, giving Danny a small smile. _At least he's off the hook._

_

* * *

_

"If that's all, then we'll be going too." Jazz said to Mr. Lancer.

"Hmm…yes. Oh, Danny?" Danny paused when he heard Mr. Lancer call his name. "I do hope you feel better." He sneered. Both Jazz and Danny paled.

"E-excuse me?" He asked timidly.

"Your parents will be waiting for you when you get home…I think you have some explaining to do. You too, Jazz. And I had such a high opinion for you…" He trailed off before leaving the two siblings alone.

* * *

Oooh, cliffy! What's gonna happen? Hahaha…well, you'll see in the next chapter…the *Final* Chapter! Reviews/Criticism is greatly appreciated!


	11. Definitive Fire

Yeah, I'd hate me too. Please forgive me; I thought I uploaded the final chapter! But then I got a review saying to upload the last chapter recently, and I was momentarily confused. When I checked…sure enough, there wasn't a final chapter! Yikes! So, I'm sorry! I've edited this chapter to make it SO much better than it was, so, can we call it even? *Hides from angry reviewers throwing rocks and other sharp objects*  
I SAID I'M SORRY!  
So, enjoy!

**/\\**

Chapter 11: Definitive Fire

**/\\**

"Dad, I'm sorry. It was all-"

"Don't start, Jazz. We'll talk to you later." Maddie interrupted.

"We're extremely disappointed in you, young lady." Jack agreed. Jazz looked down at the floor dejectedly, nodding her head slowly and walking to the kitchen.

"Good luck, Danny." She whispered as she passed her younger brother. "I'm so sorry."

He watched his sister walk away, unwilling to meet his parents gaze. _I'm in deep shit. I wonder if I should just tell them the truth? Well, half truth…_ He hesitantly looked up, biting his lip. _Where to begin?_ A loud knock at his door distracted him from his thoughts. He nervously looked at the door, then back to his parents.

"…Should I get that?" He timidly asked.

"No. You stay here, we'll answer it." His mother replied tartly. "Come on, Jack." The couple left the room, and Danny let out a sigh of relief. He heard his parents talk to the unknown guest, but couldn't discern any of their conversation. A few minutes later, his parents returned to the room, and Dash followed close behind.

"Dash?" I choked out, swallowing back my fear, and fleeting hope.  
"Yes. Your friend told us exactly what happened, and why you refused to tell us the truth." His mother began. "And while I appreciate your honor, it simply isn't acceptable to lie to us. And to have Jazz play along…" She clucked her tongue. "Grounded. For the next two weeks. And no buts."

"Yes, mom." Danny said quietly.

"And because you're going to be grounded for such a long time…why don't you spend tonight with your friend?" Jack suggested. "Right, Maddie?"

"Mm, I suppose." She smiled. "Just don't be out too late, honey."

And so his parents left, leaving him alone with Dash. His bully…his deepest crush. He quietly approached the taller boy, hesitantly looking up. "Let's go for a walk." He suggested, and without waiting for a response, he was out the door.

* * *

"So, what? You came to apologize?" Danny asked quietly, wishing he had thought to bring a jacket. _It's quite cold…_ He turned his gaze towards Dash, who was refusing to make eye contact.

"…Yeah." He said briskly, picking up his pace. Danny frowned and stopped.

"Well?" He raised an eyebrow. Dash sighed loudly, and turned to Danny.

"I'm not just sorry for today." He said quickly. "Not just for the fight, not just for this year. For everything. Every rotten thing I've ever done to you. The hell I made you suffer through every day. I'm sorry that I didn't recognize what I felt for you sooner…" He moved forward and wrapped his arms around the leaner teen. "Can you forgive me?"

Danny sighed deeply and slowly untangled himself out of Dash's grip. "Yes, I can forgive you…" He began slowly, looking up at the jock's confused face. "But honestly, an apology doesn't fix everything. Yes, I like you…There's an attraction between us." Dash perked up at that. "But…I need time to heal. I want to see if you really have changed. And even then, I might not…" He trailed off uncertainly.

"What do you mean…?" Dash asked slowly.

"I mean that…I'm going to date Kwan." Danny replied. "I want to see where things go with him. So, I guess that…well; don't wait around for me, okay? We might end up together…we might not. To tell you to be my back up in case Kwan doesn't work out wouldn't be fair." He closed his eyes, doing his best to hold his tears back. "I'm sorry, Dash. I hope we can be friends." He leaned up and placed a kiss on the jock's cheek before hastily running back to his house. _I'm so sorry._

* * *

One Year Later

* * *

Dash watched Kwan and Danny walk past his house venomously. He hated the fact that Kwan had won Danny…but he needed to prove to Danny that he had changed, that he deserved at chance. And for Danny, he could do just that. He didn't go out of his way to compliment the relationship-but he didn't condemn it either. He had even accompanied them on a few dates. _Maybe Danny can sense my disdain for it?_ Sure, it had been a year. He was so sure he could forget about the scrawny teen. But he couldn't. He was simply in love with Danny.

He sighed and turned away from his window when the couple finally disappeared from his sight. It was such a horrible feeling. _Torn between hating the fuck out of the situation…and actually being glad that he's with someone that makes him happy. _He clenched his fists. _I guess I could never do that._ He looked at the only picture he had of Danny- - a slightly blurred picture that he had taken on his phone, printed and framed.

"No matter how long it takes…even if it doesn't happen at all…I promise I'll wait for you."

* * *

Not much of an ending, I know (Just a little angsty!) I thought it would be a nice twist compared to the ever present "Happily Ever After". It's a little hopeful (I love how devoted he is to Danny. It's cute) So, I hope you all have enjoyed this story (And I'm SO sorry that I didn't realize my mistake sooner.) Thank you for keeping with this story, and being loyal to me (though I don't deserve it).


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